Non-metallic engine-piston.



G. B. scHou.v

'NON-METALLIC ENGINE PISTON.

-APPLICATION FILED` MAY 31| 1918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1

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GUSTAV B. SCHUH, F NEW YK, Ill'. Y.

NON-MET l naaaeae.

Specication of Letters Patent.

L ENG-PISTON.

Patented lFeb.. 1, 119.

Application lcd May 31, 191%. Serial No. 237,474.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that l, GUsrAv B. SoHoU, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident l of the city of New York, borough of ldanhattan, and countyand State of New York, have invented a new and lllnproved Non- Metallic Engine-Piston, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to prime movers, and has particular reference to reciprocating engines especially of the internal combustion type. i

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel constructionof reciprocating piston for an internal combustion, steam, or other type of engine, whereby the piston all necessary functions demanded thereof, yet will be cheaper, quicker to make, and more reliable in actlon, especially in high altitudes or cold climates than the ordinary metal piston.

. lllore specihcally stated l construct a piston of a practical and durable nature, the body of which is chiefly of wood or other analogous non-metallic structure, the same, however, being reinforced at those parts or points most subjected to heat or wear in order to make it reliable and edicient, the main surface contact between the cylinder (not shown) being wood or other non-metal..

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the enact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof referenceis had to the accompanying reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and' in which- Figure l is a vertical central sectional view of one form of my improved piston.

tra Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional v1ew of the same on the line 2-2 looking upward.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modihed form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same on the line .4llg and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a further modihcation.

Referring now more specihcally to the drawings, l show a piston body 10 of which for the purpose of this description may be understood to be of wood, turned, bored, or

tures: A disk 16 the piston and Aor otherwise fabricated so drawings, in which like in the lower end portion of otherwise -formed of one or more coperating blocks of wood or the like. ln my practice l have found that this body may be formed readily, conveniently and reliabl for all practical uses from a single block, the same having a cylindrical outer surface 11 and a longitudinal central cavity 12. The cavity 12 may be cylindrical or any other appropriate form in cross section, preferably, however, with a pair of oppositely arranged parallel llatfaces 13, the portions of the body adjacent to such faces being consequently. somewhat heavier than the remaining portions of the body wall in vertical alinement with the piston rod bearing thimbles or bushings 14 which are fitted in said reinforced wall portions in horizontal alinement with each other in any suitable manner.

The bushings 111 are made of bronze, brass, of other suitable wear resisting metal or a loy.

ln Figs. 1 and 2 ll show a piston having a metal cap 15 lcomprising the following fea the upper or outer surface of which receives the direct impact of the motive means, a downwardly projecting flange 17 rabbeted at 18 into the upper end of the body 10, a pair of diametrically oppositely arranged parallel plates or aprons 19 countersunk into Athe opposed parallel walls of the reinforced portlons above described of the body, and a suitable reinforcement truss structure 20. lhese four parts of the cap 15 are preferably made as an integral structure either as a drop as to be applied easily and directly to the head end of the piston body. 'lhe flanged periphery of the disk 16 is preferably of the same diameter as the cylindrical surface 11 and may, if desired, be provided with a split packing ring 21 of any suitable or conventional structure for its usual purpose, but which is preferably outwardly dared. ln this form of the invention the connecting. rod pin bushings 14 are of hollow cylindrical form and fitted into oppositely arranged coaxial holes 22 formed in the reinforced wall portions of the body. The outer end of each bushing is provided with a pair of notches or recesses 23, while the inner end of each bushing is externally threaded at 24 whereby the same is screwed firmly into a correspondingly threaded hole the adjacent apron 19. Ylhe notches 23 of both of the bushings in the connected position all lie in forging, cast1ng,

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the same plane as the annular groove 25 which constitutes a seat for a split ring 26 which has the dual function of constituting a packing r-in and a locking key, preventing the vibration from loosening the bushin s from the aprons.

he construction of the cap 15 as above set forth gives ample protection to the upper end of the bodyl 10 as well as ample strength for the piston rod connections through the aprons 19. The truss structure 20 is designed for maximum lstrength in proportion to the weight of the material whereby even though the disk 16 may be relatively thin the truss structure will prevent any danger of inward crushing thereof. At the same time the truss 2O comprises a plurality of downwardly projecting fins affording rapid radiation of heat into and through the interior cavity 12 of the body with the result that excessive heating of the piston of anl internal combustion engine is prevented.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the body 10at is or may be substantially the same as that of Fig. 1, it being provided with flat faces 13 on the opposite sides of the interior cavity 12 providing reinforced side ort-ions bored at 22 for, the connecting pin ushings 148c The faces 13 may be spaced somewhat more than the correspond ing faces of the rst structure so as to accommodate the ,anges23a formed on the inner ends of the bushings which bearing against the faces 13 and countersunk into notches 27 serve to prevent outward movement or displacement of the bushings aswell as providing ample bearing surfaces for the'connecting rod (not shown). The space between the flanges 23a of the lopposed bushings is the same as that between the opposing surfaces of the aprons 19 in the construction of pistons for the same size or type of engine so as to accommodate natu- Alli rally the same size of piston rod connections The cap 15a is similar to the cap 15 with respect to the disk 16, flange 17 and truss or radiator structure 20. Any suitable means may be provided to lock the cap 15a upon the head or rabbeted end 18 of the body 10m, such as a series of longitudinal lbolts 18d having dat counter-sunk heads Obviously the interlocking of the bushings 14 in the lower ends of the aprons 19 answers this purpose in Figs l and 2.

rIhe detail in Fig. 5 represents any suitable form of wooden body 10", the cavity 12b of which may be shorter than the body, leaving a partially solid head 20b just within the cap 15b which for this reason may be somewhat lighter than shown in the other figures. This cap comprises a disk 16b and a flange 17b which may be stamped, turned, spun orotherwisc formed from relatively thm metal, the free edge of the lange being provided with prongs 28, or their equivalent, which when forced into the outer surface of the body 1()b serve to lock the cap in place. If desired a sheet of asbestos 29 or other non-conductor of heat may be interposed between the disklGb and the head 20" tol reduce any possibility of the body becoming charred under heat. It will be understood that this piston in Fig. 5 will be provided with similar or suitable piston rod connecting means. For practical purposes I have found that the piston body formed of wood is suiiiciently strong and reliable for an internal combustion engine without other protection than herein indicated. However, in some instances it may be useful to impregnato the wooden body with a suitable refractory niedium. It is to be noted furthermore that for aeroplane motors which are demanded to serve in extremely high and cold altitudes there is great danger and accompanying hazard from the freezlng of the piston to the cylinder during idle periods of the engine. This danger is vastly greater with respect toA metal-tometal than in the use of my piston wherein nearly all of the surface contact is between the wood or its equivalent and metal.

I claim:

l. The herein described piston for reciprocating engines, the same comprising a ho low block of natural wood, means of a dilierent material tol protect the end of the block from fire, and wear resisting piston rod connections carried by the block remote from the protecting means.

2. The herein describedlight piston for reciprocating internal combustion englnes, the saine comprisin a body made of a block of wood, piston ro connecting means fitted in opposite sides of the body, and a cap to protect the head end of the body from excessive heat.

3. The herein described light piston for reciprocating internal combustion engines, the same comprising a body mainly of wood, piston rod connecting bushings fitted in opposite sides of the body, and means to protect .the head end of the body from excessive heat.

4. The herein described piston comprising a nonmetallic body having a hollow center and diametrically opposite transverse holes, a metallic cap on the head end of the body, said cap including a pair of parallel aprons extending downward within the cavity and having holes registering with the body holes aforesaid, and a pair of bearing bushings interlocking with said apron holes and iitted in said body holeswhereby the cap is held from displacement from the body.

5. In an engine piston` the combination of a hollow non-metallic body having a pair of transversely arranged coaxial bearin holes, a metallic cap fitted upon and protecting the meedeed i bend end ol the. body, seid oep irrelnding1 ineens depending into the interior of the body eeross the exis oli Snid holes., sind. e pair of bearing bushings fitted in seid bolos end interlocking with seid esp depending ineens.

d 'l`lie herein described reolproenting enpiston comprising d hollow non-mei3el lio body lieving oppositely arranged @rens verse lioles, the portions of the body in which olie holes ere formed being; thicker than. the reineliningq portions, e, peir ol Inetellie been ing bushings fitted in seid bolos end ineens to prevent longitidinel rnovemenrJ olf tbe bushings along seid lioles.

7. The bereln described piston lor on interuel combustion engine comprisingq s boln low non-metallic body lier/'ing e peir of die rnetrionlly :ind transversely errenged ooaxiel boles, e pair of tubular bushings iifted. in said bolos end having threaded inner ends :i metallic esp protecting the heed end ol? the body bei/ing e peilol' speeed aprons depending eberel'rom eoross the inner ends of seid lnilesu seid aprons having tlireeded holes regislering Willi tbe body bolos into Wliieli die bushings ere screwed, end ineens to prevenir. tbe loesening1 of the bushings from tbe aprons.

8. 'llie herein described piston for en in- (nernel eombrislzion engine eornprisinfojl bollow non-metallic body end a metalli@ proreefs-ing oep for the heed end tbereolr9 seid oep' comprising en inipeot receiving i disk, end nie-ens ndioeent iso zlie disk to prevent enoessive beelving of tbe oep.

9. The berein desoribed piston for reciprocating; enginesS the seme comprising e hollow wooden body., tbe beard thereof, seid cap comprising n peripberel lienge enibrsoing the heed or' the body and inwardly projecting radiator rneens ro dissipate tbe lient of the esp5 and Ineens to ,loolr lebe een tbe body.,

e metal cap plotseling dll 

